September 2016 Reads

[The Marquis de Leech]

Finished The Winter War. It's not actually bad (the hamsters in the freezer were a nice touch), but between the lack of resolution, the melodramatic-and-mostly-irrelevant title, and Teir's determination to write the most bourgeois piece of fiction ever, it's not particularly good either. 

Next up is Homeland, by R.A. Salvatore. Yes, I know. I'm simply trying to broaden my knowledge of candyfloss fantasy beyond Terry Brooks.

[Jo498]

Of the 4-6 by Salvatore I read in the mid/late 1990s I seem to recall that Homeland is among the better ones. It's a pity that an interesting idea like over the top ruthlessly machiavellian matriarchal Drow society was not developed by someone who could write novels instead of RPG scripts...

I am on the last 100 (of 900+) pages of "Cryptonomicon". The book picked up pace (slightly) after about a third and it is a pretty good book but I think it would have profited from some condensing, especially in that first 300-400 pages.

[stonebender]

Reminds me I need to finish off Salvatore's First King series, as he's returning to that world with a new novel pretty soon.  Love Demon Wars.

For the moment, though, I have a few options on hand.  Wolfe's The Land Across,  Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought, and Swanwick's The Dragons of Babel.  I'm having a tough time choosing.   

[Lyanna Stark]

On 21/09/2016 at 8:39 PM, Lily Valley said:

I'm super excited for you.  Please come back and break the tie.  I think it's a matter of taste.  If you like the novelty of exposition, you may agree with brunhilda.  To me it's the difference between the excitement and work of a first date and relaxed enjoyment of eating pizza on the sofa with your SO.  Both are awesome.

Well, I finished Sword and omg. I think I might like it as  much, if not more, than Justice. Sure, there is no epic journey or Quest, in the same way as before, because things are getting complicated, but that's also the point. Nothing is ever solved by some lone hero murdering some dude, and this is proof of that. And damn what a proof.

Of course, a lot of people are probably going to not really fancy when action gets swapped out for more dialogue and big questions like "what is justice? what does that even entail? is this a benefit, and in that case, to whom?"

I loved how Aethoek works as a sort of micro-version of Radchaii space, with issues of administration, who answers to whom, who does what and when, with factions against eachother etc. It's great stuff, and even Breq with all the righteous anger just ran straight into that. Even if she basically blasts through everything, it's still not the same. Also great to see amazing and very subtle character development.

Breq's reaction to the Sword of Atagaris ancillary was amazingly well done, both with the very real assessment of it as a threat, but also the bone deep compassion. And the ending, damn. Yes, it was extremely well done, and a better and more poignant ending than the first novel, I thought. Such a howling outpouring of grief and loss in such a a brief and subtle passage.  I wondered if people missed it because it was brief and understated, but if nothing else, Radchaii really do do understated a lot.

So yes, HUGE FANGIRL SQUEEE and already started on Mercy. Also regretting I cannot name firstborn Anaander Mianaai.

[Darth Richard II]

Salvatore aint so bad when it comes to candyfloss fantasy. Just every time he tries to kick it up a notch someone at TSR/WOTC/HASBRO would smack him down and then he had to rewrite things, and then it got kind of dark and weird for a bit. Oh and then 4th edition happened but that conversation should probably be its own thread.

[Starkess]

I started The Martian by Andy Weir today. So far it is basically exactly like the movie and I am enjoying it a lot.

[giant snake]

Wanting to read more of a traditional fantasy but being warned of Salvatore, I bought a Kindle ed. of The Warded Man.  A friend of mine said it is really good.  Any thoughts on this (without giving away the plot plz?)

[Starkess]

I really enjoyed The Warded Man, thought it was fantastic. The rest of the series, I found each book to be more of a letdown to the point that I think there is a new one I haven't even read and probably won't.

[giant snake]

thx for the feedback.  I'm going to get some late supper and start it now!

[RedEyedGhost]

1 hour ago, giant snake said:

Wanting to read more of a traditional fantasy but being warned of Salvatore, I bought a Kindle ed. of The Warded Man.  A friend of mine said it is really good.  Any thoughts on this (without giving away the plot plz?)

It's light and he uses rape as a plot device way too often, but I really enjoy them because of the magic system.  The first book is definitely the best though.

[Darth Richard II]

The first is actually really good, the second turns into islamophobic rape bullshit, and the third made me sell my copies of all three. Haven't read the fourth. I woud probably recommend Salvatore over those.

[Jo498]

The central idea (the "magic system") of "painted/warded man" is original, almost brilliant. But it carries at most the first book. The writing is sophomoric, most characters are not very interesting and rape (including incestuous and underage boys in the framework of a paramilitarist education) is prevalent. I stopped reading the series after the 2nd book and have been told that it gets considerably worse.

Salvatore is more traditional, i.e. RPGish, especially the "crystal shard trilogy" (or whatever it is called).

[End of Disc One]

I don't care about the rape stuff in the Demon Cycle, but as the series went on Brett started to write more and more about stuff I didn't care about.  By the third book the series isn't so much about the demons, as it is about who's banging whom.

[Isildur's Mane]

So so far this month I have read 'The Name of the Wind', by Patrick Rothfuss. I absolutely loved it .

I also reread 'Lockie Leonard: Human Torpedo', by Tim Winton but I'm not including it in my overall challenge even though the last time I read it was a million years ago. 

61% through 'Titans of History', 17% through 'Rogues', just started reading 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules' -7%

[The Marquis de Leech]

Finished off Homeland. Cheesy RPGish fun. The characterisation's OK (though I prefer Zak, self-loathing hypocrite that he is, over Drizzt), and the plot works for what it is. The big problems are the truly godawful prose (too much telling, not enough showing, is the least of its issues), and the sense of wasted opportunity. I definitely agree with Jo498's sentiment that a better author could have done much more with Menzoberranzan and its delightfully screwed-up inhabitants.

Next up is Gloriana, by Michael Moorcock.

[stonebender]

I switched up things completely and read Timothy Zahn's Cobra.  Given it was my first Zahn novel since his Star Wars in the 90s and my first ever Baen book, I was pretty skeptical.  I expected something closer to military SF's caricatured reputation of being a constant string of battle scenes where the good dudes mow down aliens, but overall the book was a lot more sophisticated than I expected.  Not Wolfe or Le Guin sophisticated, of course, but I was surprised to find out that the majority of the novel details the main character's life after the war with the aliens ends.  More than once Our Hero's heroics are revealed as the wrong course of action, and in general the book makes a point to cite the dangers of militarization and don't-trust-the- government conspiracy theory thinking 

Overall a much better book than I was expecting for an 80s SF adventure from a publisher that doesn't have the best reputation around the venues I frequent most.  I'll likely continue on with the series at some point. 

[Winterfella]

Children of the New World by Alexander Weinstein.  Short story collection.  Many reviews compare it to the tv show Black Mirrors, so if you're into that, you will probably like this a lot.  I found that to be a pretty accurate description.  A few of the stories don't quite hit the mark, but most of them do.

Now starting The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnott.  Seems like a good creepy read to head into the month of October with.

[Argonath Diver]

Wrapped up some Gaiman I had read (American Gods and Graveyard Book) and some I hadn't (Stories). Some clunkers in the compilation, but I enjoyed most of the entries. I never read graphic novels, but I want to dive into Sandman. I just like his work too much (hell I love the Coraline movie just fine and missed the book) to skip a medium I tend to ignore. I'll have to dip into the library and see if there's a copy. My project for October reading.

I'm currently trying to re-read the first Mistborn book to re-fresh myself on the world, hoping to get to that 4th novel. Man, I just really dislike the dialogue so much, it's hard to even skim. As I recall, people agreed that the worst of the YA-feel is in the first and second novels - I gave up on it somewhere through that one years ago - so I want to persevere, as the magic-in-industrial-revolution thing sounds pretty fun.

[mushroomshirt]

On 9/25/2016 at 9:22 AM, Jo498 said:

Of the 4-6 by Salvatore I read in the mid/late 1990s I seem to recall that Homeland is among the better ones. It's a pity that an interesting idea like over the top ruthlessly machiavellian matriarchal Drow society was not developed by someone who could write novels instead of RPG scripts...

I am on the last 100 (of 900+) pages of "Cryptonomicon". The book picked up pace (slightly) after about a third and it is a pretty good book but I think it would have profited from some condensing, especially in that first 300-400 pages.

 

8 hours ago, Roose Boltons Pet Leech said:

Finished off Homeland. Cheesy RPGish fun. The characterisation's OK (though I prefer Zak, self-loathing hypocrite that he is, over Drizzt), and the plot works for what it is. The big problems are the truly godawful prose (too much telling, not enough showing, is the least of its issues), and the sense of wasted opportunity. I definitely agree with Jo498's sentiment that a better author could have done much more with Menzoberranzan and its delightfully screwed-up inhabitants.

Next up is Gloriana, by Michael Moorcock.

I hate to sound like a broken record but If you are looking for a good story that includes an over the top ruthlessly Machiavellian matriarchal "Drow" society check out Enemy and Outlaw by K Eason.  Surprisingly good books, IMO (an opinion shared by I think at least one or two other posters here).

PS - this is my 666th post here 

[Teng Ai Hui]

Currently, I'm reading Invincible: Inside Arsenal's Unbeaten 2003-2004 Season by Amy Lawrence.  On the first, I will start The Call by Peadar.  On the backburner is Seveneves.  I enjoy the story, but it moves so slow that my interest wanes soon after I pick it up.